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But連詞的用法探討
But連詞的用法探討 But 作為連詞在大多數(shù)情況下都用作并列連詞,但有時在一些固定結(jié)構(gòu)中也可用作從屬連詞。
一、用作并列連詞
作為并列連詞,but 可以連接兩個并列的分句或者兩個并列的成份,譯為“但是”,“可是”。能表示下列意義:
1、表示意義轉(zhuǎn)折。例如:
They are tired but happy.
I was going to write, but I lost your address.
Not one but two!
2、表示對比或?qū)φ?通常與否定詞連用。例如:
He is not good at maths, but he is good at English.
He scarcely knows French, but he speaks English perfectly.
3、出現(xiàn)在句首或句與句之間,表示異議,驚奇或吃驚。如:
A:I have won the long jump.
B:But that's wonderful!
4、用在表示歉意的詞語之后,引起一個句子,長不能譯為“但是”,可以不譯出。如:
I'm sorry, but I can't come.
Excuse me, but can you tell me the way to the library?
固定短語:1、not only … but (also) … 這是一組關聯(lián)并列連詞,表示其所連接的成份在意義上后一項對前一項的補充和引申,但側(cè)重點在后一項上,意思是“不但……而且……”。但使用這一組關聯(lián)并列連詞必須注意兩點:
(1)、當 not only … but also 連接兩個并列成份作主語時,其謂語動詞的形式按照就近原則來確定。
(2)、當 not only … but also 連接兩個并列成份時采用部分倒裝形式,即倒裝 not only 分句,而 but also 分句則采用陳述句語序。如:
△ Not only the mother but also the children are sick.
△ Not only is he interested in the subject but also all his students are beginning to show interested in it.
有時,but 和 also 可以被分隔使用。如:
She was not only compelled to stay at home but she also forbidden to see her friends.
有時,but also 能被 but … as well 所取代。如:
He can not only speak English but French as well.
2、but then, 意思是“不過,另一方”,相當于 nevertheless, on the other hand”。如:She speaks English fluently, but then she did live in London for four years.3、not that … but that … 引導兩個并的原因狀語從句,that 相當于 because, 意思是“不是因為 …… 而是因為 ……”。如:
I haven't worked out the maths problem, not that I have no time for it, but that I can't work it out. 有時 not that … but that … 結(jié)構(gòu)可單獨出現(xiàn)。如:
Not that I won't go, but that I don't know which is the way to go.
二、用作從屬連詞。
But 在一些固定結(jié)構(gòu)中作從屬連詞,引導狀語從句和名詞從句。
1、引導條件狀語從句。
But that 可以用來引導條件狀語從句,意思是“倘若,要不是”�！杜＝颥F(xiàn)代高級英漢雙解詞典》和一些語法書上將此結(jié)構(gòu)中的 but 看成介詞,that 則引導了特殊的介詞賓語從句,但是《牛津現(xiàn)代高級英漢雙解詞典》和章振幫先生所著《新編英語語法》等認為 but that 為復雜從屬連詞, but that 從句為條件狀語從句,本人傾向于后一種看法。 That 從句一般不作介詞補足成分,將 but that 理解為復雜從屬連詞,有助于確切理解從句 but that 的真正意義, but that 從句用陳述語氣,而主句則常用虛擬語氣,but that 從句可以同否定的 if 從句互換。
例如:
But that you lent him a large sum of money, he would have gone bankrupt.
此句可改為:
If you hadn't lent him a large sum of money, he would have gone bankrupt.
有時 but that 從句出現(xiàn)于含有 not 的主句之后,意思是:“只有…… 才 ……”。例如:He will not find the answer but that he studies it thoroughly.
He will not come but that he is asked.
2、引導比較狀語從句。
用 no sooner … but … 結(jié)構(gòu)引導比較狀語從句,but 相當于 than 如:
It no sooner started raining but it stopped.
3、用 not but that (what) 結(jié)構(gòu)引導讓步狀語從句,意思是“雖然,誠然”。如:
He is very strong — not but that he will catch cold sometimes. 意思為“他身體很強壯,雖然有時會患感冒”。
I've never walked that far, not but what I could do it if I tried. 意思為:我從來沒走那么遠,雖然我要走還是可以走。
4、引導結(jié)果狀語從句。
(1)not so … but (that/what)… 或 not such a … but,意思為“不是如此……以致于不”。其中 but 的意思是接近于“that … not …”。例如:
He is not such a fool but that he can see through Mary.
(2)否定句+but(that)+從句,意思為“每當……總是……”,其中 but 相當于“that…not …”,通過雙重否定來表達肯定的因果關系。例如:
I never go past my old school but I think of the happy years I spent there.
意思為:“每當我走過我的母校時,我都想起我在那兒度過的快樂歲月�！豹�
5、引導名詞性從句,常用于下列結(jié)構(gòu)中:
I didn't doubt/denty/question but that…
There is no doubt/question but(that)…
這些結(jié)構(gòu)中的 but 或 but that 并無實在意義,相當于連詞 that 。例如:
there is no doubt but he is the quilty one,意思為:“毫無疑問,犯罪的就是他”。
在實際應用中,but 用作連詞和介詞容易混淆。如果 but 被看作連詞,其后的人稱代詞可以被看成是一個省略的謂語部分的主語。應該是主格形式。例如:
Everyone lost fainth in the plan but she.
No one found the answer but she.
更為常見的是 but 用作介詞,這樣其后的人稱代詞“she”可改為格“her”。
但是,一般說來,but 和其后的人稱代詞如果置于謂語動詞之前,人稱代詞用主格形式。如:
Evryone but she lost fainth in the plan.
No one but she found the answer.
至此,本文較為詳細地歸納了 but 作為連詞時的用法,深入地探 But連詞的用法探討討了 but 作為并列連詞和從屬連詞及其固定短語的意義和用法,并配以實例說明。這樣對于我們理解含有 but 的句子尤其是含有 but 的雙重否定句將有一定作用。
參考文獻:
(1)Robert B Lostello\ 1995.《Random House Webster's College Dictionary》.\ New York:Random House.
(2)章振幫1990《新編英語語法》上海:上海譯文出版社
(3)李此達1994《牛津現(xiàn)代高級英漢雙解詞典》牛津大學出版社課堂練習的幾個設計
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